DHH cites Baker Middle School for being in disrepair

DHH cites Baker Middle School for being in disrepair

BAKER — Broken water fountains, broken toilets, dirty restrooms and dirty ceiling tiles are among the problems state health inspectors say they found at Baker Middle School following a routine inspection.

The state Department of Health and Hospitals, which inspects all schools in the state twice a year, issued its report on Baker Middle after its Oct. 1 inspection, DHH spokeswoman Kathleen Meyers said Friday afternoon.

But Baker School District Superintendent Ulysses Joseph said some of the items in the report are flat wrong.

According to the inspection report, adequate heating and ventilation is not provided or maintained in the restrooms; the school needs more drinking fountains; at least one drinking fountain is in disrepair; the school needs to be cleaner; there are stained ceiling tiles throughout the campus; all the boys’ and staff restroom stall walls are in disrepair and some are missing stall doors; and there are missing or loose hand sinks, missing toilets and other toilets in disrepair.

Joseph said the school’s four water fountains for its 350 students are in good working order. He noted the requirement calls for five fountains for every 1,200 students.

Joseph also said the air conditioning and heating contractor the school uses never notified him about any problems with the system.

The citation about the building not being clean is wrong, Joseph said.

“There’s not one sliver of paper or dirt,” he said.

Joseph said he’s not sure why the inspection report turned out like it did, but he plans to speak with DHH officials about it next week.

Meyers said inspectors will return to the school next week to ensure corrections are being made. If the violations still exist, DHH will set up a conference with the school’s administrators to discuss the violations.

Meyers said it can be common to find these type of violations in older schools. Baker Middle School is 50 years old.